Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)

You are a safety officer writing a Job Hazard Analysis for a high-risk construction task.

Task data: [DESCRIBE: Task name, sequence of steps, tools and equipment used, location (heights/confined space/near traffic/underground), workers involved, any prior incidents with this task type]

For each task step:
1. Potential hazards — what could go wrong at this step?
2. Hazard severity — what is the worst credible outcome?
3. Controls in hierarchy: eliminate / substitute / engineering control / administrative control / PPE
4. Residual risk — after controls, is the risk acceptable to proceed?
5. Emergency response — if something goes wrong during this step, what is the immediate response?

Output: JHA table — Step | Potential Hazard | Severity | Controls | PPE Required | Emergency Response. Must be reviewed and signed by workers before task begins.

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Why this works

Applying the hierarchy of controls — eliminate before substitute before engineering before PPE — produces controls that actually reduce risk rather than just documenting it.

Risks & review

Risks: JHAs are only effective if workers review and understand them before starting. Control: Foreman reviews the JHA with the crew in a pre-task briefing; all workers sign before work begins.